Another Story
by Artemisia032495
Summary: A young female lombax is accidentally sucked through a wormhole to Polaris. Losing all her memories and temporarily becoming Beck, the young lombax is helped by another to get her way home. But after all she has been through, will she really return to the Lombaxes? Rewritten As The Misplaced Maiden
1. Annoying Brothers

**Hello and welcome to my story! I know about the title, it is a misnomer. I do hope you enjoy it and leave me a review.**

 **Oh and I do not own these characters. Well, besides all non-canon lombaxes and little Sog.**

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"Kori!" A voice called. "Get down here, young lady!"

Kori, a young lombax, looked into her mirror and fixed her hair in a nice fluffy ponytail. She admired herself in the mirror, ignoring her mother. Kori had always loved how her stripes were red instead of the typical dark orange for Lombaxes. Sure the other kids tried to tease her about it when they were young, but such things build character, right?

"Come on Kori!" Her mother called again.

Kori sighed and made sure she looked presentable. How she wished she had gotten face stripes like most other lombaxes, she was told they made young ladies look more mature. But she delighted herself with the blueness of her eyes. Kori's mother called again so Kori quickly put on her teal crop-top, copper skirt, black leggings and hurried down.

Rolin, the middle child, was still at the breakfast table when she got down there. He looked like the typical lombax, normal orange fur, and dark orange stripes. He stood about a head taller than Kori and their mother but he hadn't yet been drafted or taken any intelligence tests to find out where his purpose was in lombax society. So he loafed around most days and helped their mother around the house.

Montay, the eldest out of the three, was already gone but he had the same coloring as Kori. He was a lieutenant for the Society of Lombax Research (aka he tested high on some intelligence tests and the research society drafted him to be one of their big brains) and out of the house most if not the majority of days. Their mother often made Kori visit him, or when she's annoyed with Rolin she'd send him, to make sure he was eating and in general good health.

Their mother, Becca, gave her coloring to Rolin. She smiled at Kori as she finally made it down to have breakfast. "Nice of you to join us." She gave Kori a small breakfast. "On your way out." Becca showed Kori the time.

Kori gasped and nearly choked on her breakfast. "Why didn't you tell me it was so late?"

Becca shook her head. "I tried to get you earlier if you hadn't been so entranced with your own reflection." Rolin laughed from the breakfast table and nearly fell out of his chair.

Kori and Becca looked at Rolin for a moment before mother and daughter shared a look, Kori kissed her mother on the cheek before high tailing it out the door. She ran past her stepfather on his way in.

He made sure he was out of her way. "Bye, Kori." Lifted his drink so she wouldn't hit it.

"Bye Dad!" She called as she jumped into her ship and raced off.

Spade, their step-father, walked into the kitchen to kiss Becca. "Kori needs to wake up earlier or something."

Rolin smiled. "Or quit looking in the mirror."

Becca raised her frying pan to hit Rolin. When he closed his eyes and covered his head she lowered it. "Let's just hope traffic isn't too bad this morning."

Rolin looked at his parents. "Or not."

Kori sped through the city, thankfully not getting pulled over, and she barely had swallowed her breakfast when she got to her station at the Center for Lombax Telecommunications.

"Good morning Kori." Her boss, Sting, said as she passed Kori her assignment sheet for that day. "Let's not have any spills today."

Kori smiled and gulped down the last of her juice from breakfast. "Shouldn't be a problem." Sting raised an eyebrow and swished her plain orange ponytail as she left. Kori slumped and finally took a breath. She took a look at her assignment list, it was a long one (she internally groaned), so Kori put on her headset and got to work.

After several hours of working Kori finally got on her lunch break. Her head felt it was stuffed with cotton but luckily she got to go home to eat. Becca and Spade waited for Kori to get home to eat while Rolin did not and ran off again to do who knows what.

Becca and Spade made sure to keep questions to a minimum with Kori while she was dead but Becca gave Kori a lunch for Montay and orders for her to take Rolin with her when she dropped it off.

The siblings groaned but did as they were told. Rolin drove and the pair went to The Society of Lombax Research to deliver the meal to their final brother. Kori flashed the guard their passes and got in without trouble. They wandered through the facility until they got to Montay's lab, nothing really of interest happening.

Montay, when they found him, was working on a microscopic piece of equipment under a microscope. Kori lifted his lunch onto his desk without squishing anything. "Hey, Montay."

Montay, straight-laced as usual, kept his eyes on his work. "Hello, Kori."

Rolin started looking around the lab. "Hey, bro."

Montay frowned. "Don't touch anything, Rolin."

"Why does Kori get an actual hello but I get 'don't touch anything?'" Rolin complained.

Kori smiled. "Because I know how to keep my hands to myself." She shifted Montay's lunch a little bit. "Mom packed you some real goodies, Montay. Makes me jealous I don't get any of it."

Montay smiled. "Help yourself."

Rolin grinned. "Alright!"

Kori rolled her eyes and wandered around as Montay left his work to try and get some of his lunch before Rolin ate all of it. She came across a small device, she didn't touch it but the thing still caught her curiosity. "Hey, Montay," she called and pointed out the small brown device. "What is this thing?"

Montay's voice carried to Kori. "No one really knows. I was tasked with finding out what it is and what it does." An echo of clanks rang out. "Rolin, I swear."

The small device, as Kori was looking at it, lit up with little blue lights around its perimeter. It started to hum with life. Kori backed away. "Guys…"

Montay gasped. "Kori, get away from it!"

The little device exploded with light and energy, all 3 young lombaxes were knocked down. Alarms started to blare and red lights flashed. Kori laid on the ground until she realized she was slowly being pulled to the machine.

Kori tried to pull herself away but the suction was too strong. "Ro! Tay!" She called her brothers. "Help me!"

Montay and Rolin sprung into action, the brothers linked themselves together and created a small chain to reach their sister. Montay desperately tried to reach for Kori. "Come on Kori!"

Kori crawled and reached for Montay. "I'm trying!"

Rolin tried to give Montay more length to reach Kori but he could only stretch so far.

Montay just about reached her when the suction overtook Kori. She disappeared into the light, her screams echoing in her brothers' ears. The machine shut off and everything went still. The two brothers both slumped and helplessly knelt on the ground.

Montay huffed and grabbed the machine, took it to his station and immediately began running a diagnostic.

Rolin followed him. "What are doing? That thing just…"

Montay didn't turn away, he didn't let the machine out of his sight. "If I can figure out what it is, I can get Kori back."

Rolin scoffed. "We don't even know what it did to her! It could have-"

"Don't say it, Rolin," Montay warned, his jaw locked and he tried to keep his eyes stern. "Don't even think it."

Rolin took a breath and sat next to his brother. "What do you need me to do?"

Meanwhile far away from the Lombax Dimension…

"Hey, what is that?" A young Fongoid commented to his friends. The young creatures closed in on this new life form. It had fur, orange and red, it was big compared to the children but not to their parents and it had very strange clothes on. Plus it has very large ears. The children had seen this kind of creature before but that one had a tail. This one, however, did not.

"Careful Sog." One young Fongoid said to the other. "It could be dangerous."

Sog slowly crept up to the creature and touched its head. Its fur was soft and kept back. "Let's go tell the chief." The children moved the creature a little way into the shade but then took off running back to the village.

The creature opened her stark blue eyes and sat up, her head pounding. She touched her head and gasped in pain. "Ow…" she complained. Her eyes looked out and took in the colorful and bizarre world around her. "Where...where am I?" She looked at her hands. "Who am I?" The young female asked the air around her.

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 **Hey, again, thanks for reading. Remember to follow/fav and review. More of this story is coming. See you when the next chapter comes out.**


	2. The Signal

**Hey, again. Just a reminder I don't own any canon characters. Just for safety.**

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Ratchet and Clank were just passing through when the call came out to them. Something was wrong with the Fongoids on Morklon, it wasn't urgent but the new Fongoid chief implored them to come to check it out. The boys were curious why the Fongoids would call them unless it was an emergency. Ratchet focused on driving but still asked. "What do you think it could be?"

Clank processed this for a moment. "Possibly they found Quark."

Ratchet smiled. "Maybe we should tell them we're busy."

"Ratchet!" Clank scolded.

Ratchet laughed. "I'm kidding." He turned and entered the atmosphere of Morklon. Ratchet landed the ship and the pair jumped out.

A small group of children ran up to meet Ratchet and Clank. They all spoke over each other before one stepped up. "Mister," little Sog said. "Come quick."

Ratchet and Clank looked at each other and followed the little children to the Eurandi Outpost. This time though, sat at the edge of the water, looking down at her own reflection was a female lombax in Fongoid clothing. Ratchet stopped short but Clank continued. "Ratchet," Clank whispered to him. "Another lombax."

Little Sog ran up to the female and pulled at her arm, pointing at Ratchet and Clank. "Here he is."

Her eyes were slow to leave her reflection but the female's blue eyes eventually met Ratchet's green eyes. She stood and faced Ratchet. "Who are you?"

Ratchet slowly approached her. "I should be asking you the same thing." He held out his hand to her. "I'm Ratchet. What's your name?"

The female looked down at her reflection again. "I wish I knew the answer to that question." She reached down to touch the surface of the water. "You don't know how much." She sighed and fingered at the fabric of her Fongoid clothing. "I know this face but everything else is…" she closed her eyes, "gone".

Clank spoke up. "Perhaps we can help you, we are heroes." He approached her slowly. "We might know some place that can help you."

The female opened her eyes a little bit to look back at her reflection. "Heroes…" she muttered. Her eyes filled and overflowed with tears. A memory flickered at the back of her mind. A celebration, a memorial for heroes. Her mother always cried.

Clank placed his hand on the female's arm. "I apologize for upsetting you, Miss but we would really like to help you."

The female smiled. "It wasn't you. I always cry for them." She brushed her tears away.

Ratchet came up behind her. "Cry for who?"

The female froze for a moment. "Our heroes…" she breathed. "Every year we celebrate them, and those we lost get a memorial every year."

Ratchet had a realization. "Those who saved the lombax race."

She stood and felt energized. "Yes...lombaxes." She put her hands on her head. "I'm a lombax…and so are you." Her breathing sped up. "I'm...not supposed to be here. I'm supposed to be home...but" she knelt and put her head on the ground. "Where is home? How did I get here? How am I going to get home?" She started to hyperventilate until Ratchet pulled her up from the ground.

Ratchet shook her a little and looked her in the eye. "Hey, we're going to try and help any way we can."

The female calmed a little and smoothed out her hair. "Thank you."

Ratchet smiled and helped her stand, he was a little taller than her. "What do you want to be called until we can figure out your old name?"

The female closed her eyes and a name did come forward, whether it was actually her name she didn't know but it was all she had. "The name Becca comes to mind." She sighed. "But it doesn't sound right, I'll do Beck instead."

Ratchet smiled at Beck. "Well, let's see what we can do to help you." He extended his hand toward her but Beck quickly hugged the children before taking it.

Ratchet and Clank led Beck back to their ship, Clank insisted she have his seat as copilot. As they were leaving the Morklon atmosphere Beck turned to Ratchet. "Can we please find me some new clothes? I love the Fongoids for saving me and all but…" she laughed as she moved her skirt. "This isn't my style."

The boys smiled to themselves. Ratchet changed course slightly. "Yeah, we can take care of that first, it's closer." The trio headed toward Talwyn's station.

When they got there, after almost being shot out of the sky, Talwyn, Cronk, and Zephyr put Beck through questioning.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Zephyr shoved his pistol in Beck's face.

Beck shrugged. "I'm Beck, and right now I want some new clothes."

Cronk looked her over. "You do look tribal."

Ratchet stepped up. "I don't think we need to grill her like this, she doesn't even know her own name."

Zephyr interjected. "She just said her name is Beck."

Beck shrugged again. "Educated guess."

Talwyn stared down this intruder into her home. "Why would you have to take an educated guess on your name?"

The female lombax glanced at Ratchet before looking at Talwyn. "Because I don't remember it."

Cronk basically stepped forward to analyze her. "Beck is a strange name for a female."

"Cronk is a strange name for an ancient hunk of hardware as yourself." Beck crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Besides the only name I could think of is Becca, which doesn't feel right to me."

Clank stepped forward. "Might you have known a Becca?"

Beck sat back and held her head. "That's possible...but I don't know who it could possibly be." She sighed. "The only person I really vaguely remember from my life is my mother, she always cried at the memorial service. I eventually started doing it too but that's it."

Ratchet pressed gently. "Can you remember the last memorial service? Anything that could help?"

Beck leaned back against the wall, closed her eyes, and tried to remember. The memory was hazy, and she couldn't make out much of it. "The President speaks, there is a huge hologram with names on it. Mom always has to hold my hand when they read off the names, and my brothers never can look at the wall." Her eyes opened. "Brothers…" Beck perked up and held her ears. "Brothers. I have two brothers...both older than me." She bounced and smiled. "Mmm...Montay." Beck grinned. "And rrr...Rolin!"

Ratchet smiled. "So it's Montay, Rolin, and Beck."

Beck frowned again. "No, that's not right...my name is definitely not Beck." She brought her knees up to her chest. "Becca doesn't belong to me...but Clank's right, I do know a Becca."

Ratchet sighed and turned to Talwyn. "Can we just find some new clothes for her? Let's leave her alone for a while." The group turned away from Beck and left her alone to sort through her thoughts and misplaced or foggy memories.

M…

R…

K…

Beck gasped. Her name began with a K. But what came after...she had no idea but she knew it began with a K. It was something.

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	3. Breaking The News

**Welcome back to Another Story, I do hope you are enjoying it! Please remember to leave me a review, I'd love to know how I'm doing.**

 **Oh and all non-canon characters are mine. I'm looking at you Quark!**

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"Mom is going to kill us." Montay heard Rolin say.

Montay held his head in his hands, still fixated on the small device that took his sister away. He had run every diagnostic on the thing that he could think of, so far nothing had come back conclusive on what it was.

The doors to Montay's lab came open and standing in the doorway was General Hounder, aka Montay's boss, and a group of personal assistants. Montay immediately stood and ran to greet the General. The General was older than the young lombax so he was taller, and he was a darker shade of orange than normal.

"General Hounder, sir," Montay greeted. He hit his brother Rolin over the head so he would come to attention. Rolin did come to attention, slowly and painfully annoying his brother.

General Hounder was stiff as ever. "Lieutenant Azimuth." His eyes trained on the rest of the room, taking in the mess. "I am never a stickler for how one is to keep his personal space but this is abnormal." General Hounder's eyes focused on Rolin. "Even for you, Azimuth."

Montay looked at the General, to Rolin, and back to the General. "Sir," Montay dropped his eyes, "there's been an accident."

General Hounder sighed and placed his hand on his forehead. "That is not what I wanted to hear, Azimuth."

Montay kept his head down. "Our sister, she…" He took a deep breath. "She was pulled into a wormhole of some kind made by an unknown device." Montay quickly grabbed the device off his main workspace and showed it to the General, detailing on all the work he had done to try and figure out what the device did and how it did it.

General Hounder looked at the device with contempt and took the device away from Montay. "Lieutenant, the other Generals and I will personally work on this." He handed the device to one of his assistants. "See to it that this device is taken care of, and if there are any more like it that they are destroyed."

"Destroyed?" Montay panicked. "But, sir, my sister-"

General Hounder stopped him. "Will be returned home shortly. Until she is, notify your mother and her workplace." He stabbed Montay's shoulder with a single finger. "I had better hopes for you, Azimuth. Don't be the same disaster your father was." With that, the General and all his assistants left Montay and Rolin alone.

All of his energy gone, Montay dropped to the floor and hung his head. Rolin slowly approached his brother. "Montay?" He spoke gently. "Are you okay?"

Montay slumped and laid down on the floor. "All my hard work." He mumbled. "I work so hard and…"

Rolin sighed and just left his brother on the floor. He walked over to the communicator, sat down, and turned on the connection. "Rolin Azimuth calling Mom."

"Calling Mom." The computer said back, for a moment the screen was blank before his mother Becca came up on the screen. She was doing dishes and not looking at the screen.

"Hello, Rolin," Becca said, still not looking at the communicator.

Rolin groaned internally. "Hey, Mom." He gave his best smile. "Good to see you, how is Dad?"

Becca stopped doing dishes and finally looked at Rolin on the screen. "What is it, Rolin?" Her face changed to concern when she saw her eldest on the floor in the background. "Is that Montay, back there?"

Rolin tried to cover up his brother. "Yeah, he's...uh" he tried to think quickly, "taking a nap?"

Becca turned serious. "Rolin. What's going on?"

Rolin rubbed his head. "You see, Mom…" He tried to calmly explain to his mother what happened to Kori and why Montay was currently laying on the floor in a slump. When he was finished he looked at his mother, playing as the last sane child she had.

Becca steeled herself and looked Rolin in the eye. "Rolin. Get. Your. Sister. Back."

Rolin stood but stayed in his mother's view. "General Hounder took the device." He pointed at the door. "Montay's out of commission right now because General Hounder compared him to…" Rolin trailed off and just looked at his mother.

Becca sighed and kept her gaze on Rolin. "Rolin, fix your brother. Together you can help the generals to get Kori back."

Rolin held up his hands. "I'll try." He turned away from the communicator and propped up Montay.

"You will, Rolin," Becca told him. "I believe you can." She blew him a kiss and said goodbye, leaving Rolin alone with his rag doll of a brother.

Rolin propped up his brother to look at all the awards he had earned. His brother happened to keep these in his lab, Rolin tried very hard to not be jealous. Keeping the family together was always the middle child's job but he never got any thanks for it. Rolin trusted Montay to recognize that he's not a failure from one mistake himself, but he had a bigger problem to deal with that meant he couldn't babysit his older brother. He needed clearance to get into the personal lab of the Generals, which he needed a level 8 clearance for.

Which he did not have. He barely had the clearance to get into the facility. And Kori had his pass...the passes which had GPS modules in them.

Rolin ran through the facility to the security door he knew. A familiar face came up on the screen. "Rolin, nice to see you again." Rolin smiled up at Astrid, a lovely security officer with pretty green eyes and light orange coloring.

"Astrid." Rolin turned on the charm. "Hey, I need to see the Generals."

Astrid smiled and tilted her head. "Clearance pass?"

Rolin faltered. "No, but-"

"No can do, Rolin." Astrid shook her head. "You and I both know that I can't let you in without that clearance pass."

Rolin went up closer to the screen. "I know but maybe in exchange, just this once, you and I can go somewhere nice." He smoothed down his fur. "A nice place where you can wear that dress you look so good in."

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Which dress?"

Rolin blanked. "The...green one?"

"Try again." Astrid smiled, tolerating Rolin at this point. "Green is not my color."

Rolin sighed and cut the charm. "Come on, Astrid. Cut me some slack." He got closer to the screen. "I just need to get in to see the Generals."

Astrid turned and faced a file hologram behind her. "Rolin, you're cute but not cute enough to risk my job over."

He rested his head on the screen. "Please, it's about Kori."

"That little sister you told me about?" Astrid kept her back to him.

"The only one I have." Rolin bumped his head on the screen. "She's missing and I have information that could help them find her." He closed his eyes and pressed his hands on the screen. "Please, Astrid. I know you would do anything for your sisters."

A small pass popped out the slot below the screen, Rolin opened his eyes to look at it. Rolin grabbed it and looked at Astrid. She frowned and pointed at him. "If I lose my job over this, Rolin, you are dead."

Rolin smiled and kissed the screen. "I owe you, Astrid." He tucked the pass in his back pocket. "I am going to take you on the best date you've ever been on." He kissed the screen a couple more times.

Astrid rolled her eyes and smiled. "That pass is only temporary," She pointed at him again. "Get going before expires and quit making my screen dirty."

Rolin smiled and went through the security door. "Thanks, Astrid!" Astrid rolled her eyes again and ended the connection, the screen going black.

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	4. Go, Young Lombax

**Greetings again, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Remember to follow/fav, all that jazz. You're smart, you get it.**

 **Non canon characters are mine. Just in case.**

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It took some time but they were able to get Beck clothes, they were basically Talwyn's but made smaller. Beck only complained a little. "Not much color in this world is there?" She smiled and looked at herself in the mirror. "I might like the Fungoid garb better after all."

Ratchet smiled back behind her. "Like a mini Talwyn."

Beck thought to herself for a moment before she told Ratchet to leave. She worked her magic, putting on the Fungoid top over Talwyn's top, trimmed a bit to still cover her but give a bit more air. She made a full skirt from the Fungoid apron-like dress and made it go to her knees over Talwyn's pants.

She kept on all Talwyn's pads, shoulder pads, arm guards, knee pads but she added the fluorescent necklace that the Fungoids had given her. Beck, lastly, put the handkerchief that Talwyn puts around her neck, around her ponytail to hold back her hair.

Beck smiled at herself in the mirror, it wasn't perfect but it was better. "Okay, I'm ready now."

Ratchet reentered, eyes covered. "Just in case."

Beck laughed. "What kind of girl do you think I am? Calling you back in while I'm still indecent?" She went up to him and uncovered his eyes. As his eyes looked her up and down she backed away so he could get a better look. "What do you think?"

Ratchet smiled. "Nice." He crossed his arms. "I like it."

Beck spun around. "Well, you know what they say, 'take what you are given and make it your own'." She giggled and looked at his clothes. "Maybe I could do the same to you," she walked around him. "So generic." Beck giggled.

Ratchet laughed and pushed her away. "I'm good, thanks." He extended his hand to her. "You should thank Talwyn, she's the one letting you have some of her clothes."

Beck shrugged, took his hand and lead him back to the main room. "You're right, I…" The words disappeared as her eyes met a small trinket on the wall. A video frame with the still of a man and a young girl. Ratchet followed her eyes and retrieve the frame from its spot, placing it in Beck's hands.

Beck stared at the frame. She had met this man long ago, very briefly but she still knew him. When she was quite young the man came to the Lombax Dimension and was invited to stay there to study their technology...and she tried to remember.

"Hey there," he had said to her. "I got a little girl like you. She's got big brothers as you do."

Beck sat down on the ground at the station. His name. They made him a General at the Research Facility shortly after he arrived. Montay had told their mother he wanted to be just like like General Apogee when he got big.

"Apogee," Beck whispered to herself.

Ratchet was standing right next to her. "Did you say…"

"Apogee!" Beck stood up and looked at the frame. "General Apogee!"

Talwyn looked at the two lombaxes, confusion and disgust. "General Apogee?" She questioned. "What are you talking about?"

Beck handed the frame back to Ratchet, she ran her hands through her fur. "When I was young an outsider came to our dimension." She had energy but she didn't know where it was coming from or how to let it out. "He was welcomed to stay with us to study Lombax technology, but he was already quite knowledgeable so they made him a General at the Facility for Advanced Lombax Research. General Max Apogee is my brother Montay's hero."

Cronk looked at the others. "What kind of name is Montay?"

Talwyn ignored Cronk. "Are you saying that my father is in the Lombax Dimension?"

Beck took a deep breath. "So, you're the daughter he told me about." She met Talwyn's eyes. "Yes if my memory of him is reliable."

Talwyn scoffed. "Which we know is not." She waved her hand at Beck. "You had to guess at your own name."

Beck frowned and lowered her head. Embarrassment was hot on her cheeks and anger burned in her throat. "Come on Ratchet." She turned and huffed away. "Come on Clank, you said there was another friend of yours we had to visit."

Ratchet glanced at Beck's form before grabbing Clank and putting him on his back. He nodded to Talwyn, Cronk, and Zephyr before returning to his ship to find Beck already there in the cockpit. Tears were running down her cheeks and her arms were firm across her chest.

Ratchet closed the top and the group sat in the quiet for a little bit, until Ratchet faced Beck and spoke gently. "Talwyn's a bit...sensitive about her father."

Beck sniffled. "Yeah...well...do you know what it's like to not remember?" She turned away from the boys to look out the cockpit window. "To know that you are something but not being able to get to it. I know my brothers' names but not my own…" Beck pulled her knees to her chest. "It's right there but I still can't get it."

Ratchet sighed and put the ship into gear. "You're lucky. I don't know anything about my parents," he remarked. "Both of them died when I was a baby."

Beck closed her eyes and tried to remember her mother again. A bedtime story she never liked...a war and a new home. Her brothers wanted to hear about the story over and over from their stepfather…

 _Step_ father, Beck realized came to her memory. Not her biological father but she only remembered her stepfather. He was a kind and hard worker named Spade, Beck realized how much this man, though not her blood relative had shaped her.

She didn't look at Ratchet. "My stepfather told us about the war." She frowned. "My brothers wanted to hear about it all the time but I hated it so much and my mother would leave every time he told the story."

Ratchet lifted off the ship and took off toward the Great Clock, possibly Sigmund could help. "My father, Kaden, stayed back to protect the Dimensionator." He commented. "My mother was already gone before he could save her."

 _Kaden._ That name brought tears to Beck's eyes...it was one of the names that were read out off the wall. Every year...Beck's mother would lay some flowers at Kaden's memorial site.

"Kaden was a good one, little ones," her mother would tell her siblings every year. "He deserves our respect and adoration." And as a family they would have a personal moment of silence for him, Beck remembered not understanding it when she was little but as she grew older she respected Kaden for his bravery and sacrifice.

Beck looked at Ratchet for a moment before wiping away her tears. "Your father… Ratchet…" she sniffled. "He's remembered as a hero."

Ratchet smiled a little. "Thanks."

Beck tried to smile back at Ratchet but she couldn't quite do it. She looked out the window again.

"It's good to see you again, Becca." The President's voice said in the back of Beck's mind. She remembered he was shaking her mother's hand. Becca...her mother…

Beck started to laugh and cry again. Clank and Ratchet looked back and forth between the two of them. Clank reached out to touch Beck's shoulder when she smiled at them.

"Are you alright?" Clank asked.

Beck sniffled. "Becca is my mother's name." She smiled at Clank and Ratchet. "Becca, my mother, Spade, my stepfather, and my two annoying brothers Montay and Rolin." She turned to face them. "Still everyone but me...but I know the first letter of my name. And it's K."

Ratchet and Clank both smiled. Clank laughed. "Then we will suggest K names until we come across the right one."

Ratchet smirked. "That could take a long time, pal."

Beck smiled, ready for a challenge. "We've got time."

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 **Until next chapter!**


	5. Crimes of Fathers

**Yo, yo, yo.**

 **And that's the end of me trying to be 'hip'.**

 **Happy you've made it to this chapter. Remember to follow/fav and leave a review! I'm really enjoying this story.**

 **All non canon characters are mine.**

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Rolin slowed down, grabbing his chest and huffing. He silently remarked to himself that he needed to exercise more, play fewer video games and go on runs. At least for that little break he could spare because when he started running again his thoughts were about if Kori was saved he was going to kick her butt.

All he knew for sure that was he had to run and catch the Generals. Not the way he actually did. Don't close your eyes and run, kids.

Rolin met a stationary force and he fell back on his tail.

"Excuse me." An older feminine voice said, a little miffed.

Rolin looked up and saw General Olympic, in all her regalness. He immediately came to attention and saluted her.

General Olympic sighed and made him relax. "Tell me, son. What are you doing here?" Her age did show a little by her slightly light orange fur and red marron markings but her green eyes were as strong as ever.

Rolin realized he was wasting time chatting but ignoring a general was a stupid move. "I am on my way to see General Hounder." He tried to keep himself from running off because in certain circles that is viewed as rude.

General Olympic snickered. "That old windbag." She started walking and motioned for Rolin to follow. "What do you need General Bark for anyway?"

He followed closely behind and was about to correct her on what general he wanted. It was when he saw her smiling that he started smiling too. "You see, ma'am," And he recounted his story, excluding Astrid's name and really how he came across a high-level clearance pass. Details, details.

When he was finished General Olympic nodded. "Risking life and limb for one's family," she commented to herself. "A noble effort." General Olympic smiled to herself. "Reminds me of someone I used to know."

Rolin stepped ahead of the General to look her in the eye instead of lagging behind. "And if her Regal General-ness could help me out, that would be great." He held up his almost expired pass. "My clearance pass is almost up and I still need to get through 6 more security doors."

General Olympic smiled to herself. "The next security door I'll get you a General's guest pass." She held up a finger to Rolin. "As long as you are on your best behavior."

Rolin assured the lovely General that he would be on his absolute best behavior. She returned this gesture with a small smile.

Montay ran as fast as he could to go the one security door he knew Rolin knew. He stopped in time for Astrid to appear on her screen. "You Azimuth boys need to find another door to go through." She waved at the air around her. "My door isn't the only one in the whole of this facility."

Montay caught his breath. "You let him through?" He kept his hand to his chest to slow his breathing and heart rate. The young lombax made a mental note to get out of the lab more often.

"Let's just say he had clearance." Astrid shrugged.

Montay glared daggers at Astrid. "Where is he now?" Being a security guard, glares didn't bother Astrid so Montay's glares did little.

Astrid leaned on her desk for a moment before turning to her screen next to her, typed a bit and checked the time. "Not nearly there to make it in time before the pass I gave him expires." She nodded before scrolling through the feeds a bit. "But he's found a buddy. A certain General buddy."

Montay groaned and covered his eyes. "If I'm not fired for sending my sister through a wormhole my job is definitely on the line now."

Astrid sighed and waved her hand a little. "Mine too." She kept her eyes on the screens around her. "It's concerning when your job is in Rolin's hands."

Montay laughed and looked at Astrid. "We'll go job hunting together, Astrid." His smile was sad.

Astrid held up a finger. "After that date Rolin promised me." She kept her eyes on the feeds, she stopped and zoomed in on the picture she saw. "But...uh...Montay you know that General friend Rolin found?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

Astrid sighed and turned her screen to face Montay. A still of Rolin talking to General Olympic while they were walking was on the screen, but Astrid was still visible through the screen. "The soon to be Commander in Chief of The Society of Lombax Research and former Chairwoman of the Lombax Council." Astrid tapped her fingers on her desk. "Rolin can really pick them."

Montay rubbed the bridge of his nose. "No kidding, he picked you."

Astrid rolled her eyes. "At least it isn't my sibling, who is the second son of the traitor of the Lombax race, chatting up the older sister of exalted hero Kaden Olympic, Former Chairwoman, Current General, and Future Commander in Chief, Talia Olympic." Astrid spun around in her chair. "Oh, yes, Montay and our jobs in the hands of a serial bum and couch surfer."

Montay enclosed his eyes and shook his head. "The one person Mom actively avoided for us to personally meet." He groaned. "Out of every person at this facility, why did it have to be her?"

Astrid shook her head. "Let's just hope Rolin doesn't get the rest of your family exiled."

Rolin had learned a long ago not to willingly introduce himself to others, especially since his father was generally hated/disliked among the older Lombax population. Though when General Olympic asked his name he couldn't lie to her. "I am Rolin Azimuth, ma'am."

"Azimuth." General Olympic repeated the name to herself. It took her back to that day. The day she could never forget.

"Kaden, hand him to me!" She had screamed at her brother. "Give me the baby!" But before Kaden could hand her his infant son a structural beam fell hard between the siblings. Kaden looked his sister in the eye and told her goodbye, closing the portal before she could at least try to save her nephew. "KADEN!" She had cried, hoping her brother would reopen the portal and join her but it never happened. She never got to even hold her only nephew one last time.

Rolin brought the General back to the present. "And may I be the first person to apologize to you for the loss my father's betrayal put on your family and all of Lombax kind." He kept his eyes low with respect and reverence. "I know no amount of apology could ever heal the hurt my father caused but I just want you to know that I understand the gravity of what my father did. And I recognize that it was unbelievably wrong."

General Olympic blinked away the surprise in her eyes. "And you are not upset with the Council's decision to banish your father?"

Rolin nodded. "No, I'm not." He kept his pace with the general. "I was 2 when we came to this dimension, I don't remember anything about my father. My mother taught us the past, so we could learn from his mistakes." Rolin smiled weakly. "The only one of us kids remembers anything about our father is Montay and he hates our father. Kori was born after we got here."

General Olympic placed her hand on Rolin's shoulder. "Your father's crimes are not yours. I will help you get your sister back, from wherever she is."

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 **But honestly, I really like General Olympic, or Talia :). What do you think?**


	6. Call of Azimuth

**Welcome back. Hope you're enjoying to story so far! Remember to fav/follow, all that.**

 **I quickly tire of this but noncanon characters are mine.**

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The little group met Sigmund not far from the Orvus Chamber. Clank was the first to speak. "Sigmund, we were wondering if you could help our friend here." He gestured to Beck, who waved shyly.

Sigmund waved back. "Hopefully not another Lombax after the Chamber." He looked suspiciously at Beck.

Ratchet smiled and stepped forward. "No need for the Chamber." He held up his hands. "Beck has lost her memory, Clank was wondering if you could help her."

Beck laughed. "Especially since I'm not from here and I have no idea what Chamber you're talking about."

Sigmund nodded. "And we're going to keep it that way." He typed on his screen for a little bit. "The mnemonic station should support organic lifeforms, I'm busy with watching the Chamber so you're going to have to use it yourselves."

Beck stopped him. "Should? It _should_ support organic lifeforms?" She got a little closer to Sigmund. "Can we make that a will?"

Sigmund looked at Beck for a second, "Let me just adjust the class system and the scanner module. And ta-da you have a mnemonic station for organic lifeforms."

Beck smiled and took Sigmund's hand. "Thank you, Sigmund. I appreciate your help." She went to Ratchet and Clank and tackled them in a bear hug. "Just in case," Beck whispered to them as she let them go.

Ratchet touched her arm. "Just in case of what?"

Beck smiled and nodded. "In case I'm not the same when I come out."

Clank shook his head. "It won't change who you are."

Beck laughed. "I don't know who I was before I came here. I could be the biggest jerk of them all." She looked at her three companions. "I just want you all to know that the me, I am now, appreciates the work you've put in to help me." Beck turned and followed Ratchet and Clank to the mnemonic station, preparing herself for whatever the station would do to her.

Beck climbed onto the station and stood in the middle as the mechanical arms closed around her. She smiled at the boys one last time before she closed her eyes and allowed her body to be held in suspended animation.

Clank walked up to the screen and started up the screen. Ratchet went up to the chamber and looked in on Beck inside. "Clank," Ratchet turned his head toward Clank. "Are we sure this isn't going to do anything bad to her?"

Clank started sorting through Beck's memories that were pulled up. "It did nothing to me."

Ratchet smiled. "Yeah, but, you're a robot."

An image popped up on the screen in front of Clank, and his eyes widened. "Ratchet...come look at this." The young lombax rounded the screen to see the image for himself. In the image was a wall of picture frames. There were stills of a little Beck, baby teeth missing but still smiling wide. Children's drawings mixed in with family stills, from when Beck was very little up to the most recent. Two adults lombaxes and their three children. Beck and another older child looked nearly identical, while the other matched the mother, and the male almost looked like a mix of both.

Little stills of Beck and her two brothers, smiling and making faces. A single still of the mother with the two young boys and then another of the mother and a tiny baby Beck, before the baby even got her stripes.

And a tiny child's drawing of a little lombax holding another lombax's hand. It was crudely done but the little lombax had the older brother's coloring and the older lombax was different. It was white with dark red stripes, brown clothes with gold accents. The drawing was labeled, Montay and Daddy. But this was written in the lombax language, neither Clank or Ratchet could read, and it was so small in the image it wasn't noticeable.

Everything was written in the lombax language. Ratchet and Clank couldn't read any of it.

Inside the station, Beck started gasping and squirming. Clank immediately shut down the machine and Ratchet didn't wait for the arms to open to get to Beck. He caught her so she didn't hit her head again when her body was released from suspended animation.

Her eyes opened and she looked at Ratchet. "Organic lifeforms need to breathe." She laughed weakly. "We'll fix that later though."

Clank rounded the station and looked at the two lombaxes. "Did it work? Do you remember?"

Beck smiled and laid down as Ratchet let her go. "Nice to meet you." She extended her hand to Ratchet. "My name is Kori." The young female lombax climbed off the station and hugged the boys as tight as she could.

Ratchet smiled back and pulled himself from her embrace. "Kori, it seems to fit." He thought for a moment before looking at her. "Now, how did you get here and how are we going to get you home?"

Kori let Clank go and looked at Ratchet. "My brother Rolin and I were delivering a lunch to our brother Montay. There was a device that activated and pulled me into a wormhole. And I woke up on Morklon." She suddenly remembered something and became patting her sides and looking for something on her person.

Clank looked at her and tilted his head. "What are you looking for?"

Kori kept looking. "My brother and I had clearance passes to get into Montay's lab. I had both Rolin and I's passes because he always loses his." She turned around and sighed in frustration. "It has my name and photo on it, I could have known my name this whole time."

Ratchet took a seat on the mnemonic station and watched Kori. "What is your name besides Kori?"

Kori took a breath, Ratchet couldn't know. "Kori Azimuth." She ignored his shocked reaction and kept looking for the passes that she lost on Morklon.

"Like General Alister Azimuth?" Ratchet said and Kori's heart dropped. "You're related to him?"

Kori kept her eyes down. "I was hoping you wouldn't know who he was." She sighed and turned her back on Ratchet. "He's my father. I never knew him."

Ratchet got down and went to Kori. "How could you not know him?"

Kori walked away and sat on the ground. "My mother was still pregnant with me when we had to go to the Lombax Dimension." She pulled her knees to her chest. "My parents were the only ones who knew about me. They wanted it for it to be a happy surprise but…"

"Tachyon's assault." Ratchet finished.

Kori nodded. "Mom said it happened so fast she couldn't grab anything but my brothers. Everyone gathered in the Court of Azimuth but the Council wouldn't let my father go." She sighed. "Montay said Mom had to be dragged through the portal, they wouldn't let her and my brothers stay with him. Said it was part of his punishment."

Ratchet and Clank sat down next to her. "Montay remembers?"

Kori didn't look at them. "He was 5 when it happened. He remembers Fastoon but he spent his whole life being told our father was a traitor." She sniffled. "He wanted to take our stepfather's name but Mom insisted that we all kept the name Azimuth. To show that we all lost something when our enemy tries to pit us against one another."

Ratchet looked at Clank then back to Kori. "He tried to kill us to turn back time to bring the lombaxes back."

Clank looked at Kori. "To get his family back."

"Look, I'm sorry." Kori frowned and moved away from them. "I know that…" She stopped. "Wait…" Kori looked at the boys, sadness in her eyes. "He tried to kill you? Is he still here? Where is he?"

Ratchet looked away. "Sorry, Kori. He died saving the universe."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned away. "At least he got to save the galaxy as he wanted." She got up and walked off.

Ratchet got up and followed after her. "Where are you going?"

Kori waved him away. "I don't know, but I just want to be left alone." She kept walking, not stopping her tears of disappointment. The one person in the universe she had heard so much about and the one person she really wanted to get to know for herself. And it would never happen.

Clank stayed with Ratchet. "Perhaps some time alone would help her."

Ratchet nodded and went back to the Chamber with Clank.

Kori found a quiet spot when she sat down and looked out at the stars. She never had the hope to meet her father, her mother always told her that meeting him was quite impossible. He was exiled, never allowed to go to the Lombax Dimension. But somewhere in her deepest and darkest dreams, he did know him or at least the idea of him. Becca had told Kori the excitement he had when she told him that she was pregnant. How he made toys for Montay and Rolin to play with. How Montay and Rolin got to meet Kaden's son because Kaden and Alister were more like brothers than friends.

Montay did idolize their father but the older generations made him hate his father as they did.

Rolin wanted to join the Guard as his father did but everyone told him that a child like him should forget about protecting the Lombax race. His father betrayed them, so Rolin too would one day do it too.

Kori, herself, was rumored to have been fathered by someone else. People wanted to believe that Becca had known about Alister's deceit and had a child with someone else. But, sure enough, when her stripes came in the same color as Montay's...the High Council members were less than thrilled that they had three Azimuth children to deal with.

So alone Kori sat, looking out into the world her father knew. And in her deepest and darkest thoughts she imagined what her father would think of her. She imagined and wished that he would be proud of her.

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	7. The Middle

**Yo. One of my longer chapters, so I'mma shut up as soon as I can. Please follow/fav, all that jazz. Noncanon characters are mine.**

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General Olympic and Rolin made it to the General's lab, Rolin's tail almost squashed in the door if General Olympic hadn't pulled him forward. The device was already in the middle of the room and being prepped for use.

General Hounder looked over and saw General Olympic and Rolin, he put on his best smile at his future boss and current peer. "Talia." He greeted General Olympic and went to her side. "So good to see you." General Hounder generally ignored Rolin. "What is the special occasion?"

General Olympic raised an eyebrow. "I was told there was an emergency. A young female lombax is in danger and her darling brother found me." She gestured to Rolin. "He is my guest." Rolin did a respectful salute to the General.

Hounder tried to keep his smile up. "Rolin Azimuth, yes. We are aware." He grabbed an info pad from one of his assistants and turned back to Olympic. "Subject is Kori Azimuth. Telecommunications Operator. It has been several hours since she went in and we still have very little to no leads on where the wormhole took her."

Olympic nodded and simply waved at Rolin. He got the hint and cleared his throat. "Yes," He moved around behind Olympic and stood next to Hounder. "Sir, I remembered that my sister had mine and her passes to enter the facility. Could we possibly hook onto the GPS signal the passes give off and use that to lock onto her position wherever she is?"

Hounder raised an eyebrow. "What do you do for a living, Azimuth?"

Rolin nodded. "Currently, keeping my siblings alive." He held up his hands. "But that's a top secret mission from my mother." Olympic smiled behind Rolin's back.

Hounder handed the info pad back to his assistant and gave out the orders to do what Rolin said. "You might have a future position at the Facility, young man."

Rolin shook his head. "I appreciate that, sir, but I'm not Montay. He's the scientist of the family." He looked at Hounder and spoke as politely as he could. "If I may, sir. What is the plan when we do find out what happened to Kori? Are we sending in a team to get her or hope that she comes through herself?"

Hounder nodded. "Extraction team. We didn't active the device until she was located."

An assistant spoke up. "We have a location, sir."

Hounder walked over to the assistant and looked at the screen. "She is in the Polaris galaxy." The room went silent. "On the planet Morklon." A collective sigh of relief.

Rolin nodded and looked around the room. "Right, Morklon. I know where that is. When do we leave?"

Olympic looked over at Rolin with suspicion. "We?" She shook her head. "If you have any plans to go there yourself, that is ill-advised. You have no formal training and you've only been through a portal like that once in your life."

Rolin faced General Olympic. "All true but my sister is out there." He stood firm. "I know you understand General but there isn't anyone I trust to save my younger sister than myself." Rolin crossed his arms. "You can tell me that I can't do it all day but I would do anything for Kori. Like you would have done for your brother Kaden."

Hounder frowned and almost hit Rolin if Olympic hadn't raised her hand to stop him. She was still for a moment before she took a breath and met Rolin's eyes. "Guts can only take you so far, Rolin." She turned to Hounder. "Get my suit ready and get Rolin fitted for his."

Hounder stepped back in shock. "You can't be serious, Talia."

Olympic frowned. "I am quite serious. Rolin and I agree on something, but I can't allow him to go by himself. I'm going with him and we'll find Kori and bring her back together."

Hounder rung his hands. "But what if Tachyon is still out there? You'll be defenseless!"

Olympic shook her head and walked past Hounder to get her suit herself. "I'll destroy him myself." She waved her hand. "Come, Rolin. We must prepare." Rolin saluted to Hounder and chased after General Olympic, careful not to get his tail almost smashed again.

Olympic's assistants buzzed around her and Rolin. "Now, Rolin." She stated. "Inter-Dimensional Travel is quite difficult, especially when one has not done it before." Olympic shoved a helmet into his hands. "Luckily, we perfected it when your brother Montay was in diapers. That device that sent your sister away was a portable version of the Dimensionator, but they were too sensitive and they never were able to be calibrated to the fullest extent we wanted them to be. So they were scrapped and destroyed due to how dangerous they could be." She put her own helmet on. "How at least one of those things survived the destruction of them I'll never know."

Rolin tried to keep up but all the objects that were handed to him were weighing him down. "You sure know a lot about this, General Olympic."

She smiled. "Who do you think helped develop it?" Olympic clipped on her safety belt. "Male lombaxes have battle in their blood but female lombaxes have innovation." Her assistants whirled around the two of them. "It took eight minds to make the Dimensionator, did you really think all of them were male?"

Rolin laughed nervously. "I believe the right answer to that is no."

"You'd be right." Olympic snapped her fingers and two assistants grabbed Rolin and took him to a separate room to put on the equipment he was given.

It wasn't a perfect fit but it wasn't too uncomfortable for Rolin to wear. The sacrifices he made for his sister. The belt sagged a bit and the boots pinched in places, but it didn't feel like his brain was going to squeeze out his eye sockets so that he thought of that as a success. Not to mention the suit was a bit tight in some places that Rolin didn't want to admit.

Olympic was waiting for him when he was finished. Her suit was form fitting like his was but it fit her perfectly. Rolin had to focus to not admit that Olympic, who was older than his own mother, had aged well. She also held an object at her side that Rolin had not seen in years. An Omniwrench. He forgot about her figure for a moment to admire her Omniwrench.

It was about only a few inches shorter than she was, dual ended, silver and dual handguards. Equipped to take on hand to hand combat, practical use, and able to shoot blasts of flames at a high blast rate and with accuracy. No one really had a real use for Omniwrenches besides for basic repairs since coming to the Lombax but Rolin could tell that General Olympic had taken good care of her equipment. Her Omniwrench. She had taken good care of her Omniwrench.

Hounder turned to see Rolin coming up behind them. "Seriously, Talia, you can't bring along this novice." He returned his attention to Olympic. "There are other, more experienced, individuals who could handle this mission. Not to mention at your age…"

Olympic shifted her omniwrench to her other hand and held up her hand in Hounder's face. "Let me stop you there, Clyde." She lowered her hand and stepped closer to him. "I'm not that old, thank you very much. And I don't care how old you think I am, I am perfectly capable, much more than you are in any sense."

Hounder held up his hands. "If this is about your nephew, he was an infant." He smiled sadly. "There is a small chance your brother wasn't killed by Tachyon but surely your little nephew was."

Olympic lifted her Omniwrench above her head but stopped before she hit Hounder. She lowered her wrench, looked at Rolin and smiled. "Ah, Rolin. Perfect timing, I assume your suit is alright."

Rolin nodded and tried to smile. "Perfect, ma'am." He walked quickly to get in between the two Generals. "How soon as we leaving?"

Hounder cleared his throat and turned away. "Once we get the device calibrated we'll open the portal. It won't be kept open long so that is when you'll need to...take the plunge, as they say." He looked Rolin over for a moment. "You don't have an Omniwrench, do you?"

Rolin shook his head. "Mother said I would shoot my eye out."

The male General rolled his eyes. "Someone get this boy an omniwrench...and a better pair of pants." An assistant gave Hounder a plain omniwrench and he just passed it to Rolin without so much as a glance at him. "In case of Cragmites."

Rolin swallowed the lump in his throat. He had only heard of Cragmites, horror stories among war stories.

Olympic rolled her eyes. "The only one left was that rat and if we meet him, we won't have to worry about him much longer."

Hounder cleared his throat with a quiet, "At your age."

A technician called out from the other side of the room, "Calibrated and ready, sir!"

General Hounder raised his arm. "Open the portal!"

A bright light and hole in the room opened up, whipping winds pulled loose papers and everything that wasn't nailed down toward the gap in space.

Olympic took off running. "Come on, Rolin!" She jumped up onto the stand holding up the device. Rolin took off after her, following her up onto the platform. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him in after her into the portal. Hounder closed the portal behind them.

General Hounder turned to the people around him. "Get those communication lines running. I want them able to be in direct contact with us as soon as possible."

The portal didn't open onto the surface of Morklon as they had intended. But instead, it let out at the planet's stratosphere. Olympic let Rolin scream for a while before briefing him on what to do. "You see what I mean," Olympic said over the wind, "Not very accurate. Get ready though, this is going to be interesting!"

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	8. Fastoon

**Greetings, again, my friends. Hope you are enjoying the story so far, don't forget to follow/fav and all that.**

 **Noncanon characters are mine.**

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Even though Clank had told Ratchet time would help Kori he eventually went out looking for her, worried that something had come after her. But nothing had and he found her, still in the same spot she had been in for several hours. She let him sit next to her and they sat in silence for a long time.

"Sorry, I'm getting over a disappointment that I didn't know I could have." Kori broke their silence. "I heard so many goods things about him from my mom. Other lombaxes demonized him." She smiled a little. "I'll never truly know which was the true one."

Ratchet rubbed his shoulder against hers. "He wasn't all bad."

Kori scoffed and rubbed away her last tear streak. "Ratchet, he tried to kill you."

He cleared his throat and tried to smile. "It's hard to argue against that but he did sacrifice himself to save everyone."

She shook her head. "You don't have to defend him. His choices were his own." Kori gently put her head on Ratchet's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and they sat together looking out at the stars. Her heat paired with his own warmed Ratchet, comfortable and welcoming. To say the least, Ratchet was enjoying their time together even if they didn't speak.

Kori took Ratchet's hand and interlaced their fingers. This felt natural without a word being said.

"Am I interrupting?" Clank's voice quickly broke the two lombaxes apart.

Ratchet laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "No...I-It's okay, Clank." He looked back at his friend who was just giving the pair a look.

Kori inched away from Ratchet. She held up her hands and laughed nervously. "Yeah, we weren't doing anything special." Kori smiled and tried to smooth out her hair, glancing again at Ratchet before smiling at Clank.

Clank nodded and approached Kori. "I trust you are better now after your time alone?"

Kori nodded and glanced at Ratchet again. "Yes, I am. Thank you."

Ratchet turned his head to smile but then turned it back to look at Kori again, serious. "Now what? You have your memories back, now what are you going to do?"

Kori lowered her eyes and thought for a moment. "I guess...my next step is to find a way home."

Ratchet frowned and rubbed the back of his neck again. "Do you have to? This dimension isn't that bad. You could stay with m...us. Us." He cleared his throat and turned away.

Kori looked at Ratchet, Clank, and then her hands. "I can't stay. My life is back in the Lombax Dimension." She looked at Ratchet again. "Everything I know is there and I was born there." She lowered her head. "I don't belong here, I never did."

Clank looked between the two lombaxes. "What if you could?" Ratchet turned back halfway so he could watch Kori out of his peripheral vision.

Kori sighed and curled up a little. "I...don't know." She looked at Clank with sad eyes. "Everyone is love is there, and I could never convince them to come back. They all still fear…" her eyes got huge, and she started scanning the stars. "Tachyon." The name came out as a whisper.

Clank and Ratchet looked at her with confused looks. "Tachyon?" Ratchet said. "You don't have to worry about him, we destroyed him."

Kori didn't seem convinced. Her eyes continued to scan the stars as she got up and backed away. "They said he used our technology against us. All the advances we had made, made our defenses useless against him." Her back foot slipped off the platform.

"Kori!" The boys dove for her and Ratchet was able to catch her hand. He pulled her up and held her against him.

Kori, in her panic, latched onto Ratchet and held her head against his chest. His racing heartbeat in her ear oddly calmed her but she still didn't want to let go.

Clank stepped forward to Kori and Ratchet. "Are you alright?"

Kori laughed, still firmly attached to Ratchet. "Can we go somewhere a bit more solid? This place is beautiful but I don't like possibly being able to fall to my death every time I turn around."

Ratchet smiled and patted her head before realizing what he was doing and taking his hands off her. "Where would you like to go instead?"

Kori thought for a moment and turned serious. She released her hold on Ratchet and looked him in the eye. "I want to go to Fastoon." She frowned. "I want to see the place I would have been born, the place Lombaxes have called home for eons."

Ratchet turned serious too. "Okay."

So off they went, Kori reintroduced herself to Sigmund, and they said goodbye. The ride was quiet until Ratchet looked over and saw Kori shivering. He reached over and turned up the heat a little bit.

She smiled for a moment before turning to face Ratchet. "I'm not expecting too much, no one ever said Fastoon looked beautiful but…" she rubbed the back of her neck. "It's going to be pretty bad huh?"

Clank tapped her on the shoulder. "By the time Ratchet and I got there it had been abandoned for decades."

Ratchet kept his eyes forward and hands on the steering column. "Clank told me it was a Lombax planet but we were in such a hurry he didn't get to tell me it was abandoned."

Kori nodded and sat forward. "Yeah, taking a girl to her ancestral home that was torn apart decades ago by an egomaniacal dictator bent on the destruction of her entire race." She winked at Clank. "You boys sure know how to show a girl a good time."

Ratchet laughed nervously while Kori and Clank snickered. Ratchet hurried to enter Fastoon's atmosphere and land the ship. When they landed Ratchet got out and rushed to the other side of the ship to help Kori out, she looked at him funny but still let him help her. While Kori ran off with wide eyes and excitement Clank gave Ratchet a funny look too, Ratchet just shrugging in return.

Kori breathed in Fastoon's desert air and closed her eyes to imagine how things must have been. Before Tachyon. Before the Great War. How things were like when her parents were children. How things would have been for her and her brothers if they had grown up on Fastoon instead of the Lombax Dimension. How things would have been for Ratchet. If her father hadn't done what he did.

Kaden's son. She realized to herself. Kori opened her eyes and looked at Ratchet. He was talking to Clank, hanging out on the wing of the ship. He looked just like the portrait. She took a deep breath and walked up to Ratchet and Clank.

Ratchet and Clank watched Kori come up to them. He smiled but her face made his smile fade away. "Hey, anything wrong?"

Kori smiled weakly before taking another deep breath. "Listen, Ratchet," She said quietly. "There is something I should tell you. About your Aunt Talia."

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	9. Past

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General Olympic picked up the passes off the ground and held them up to Rolin. "Well, we found the passes but not your sister." She put them in a compartment on her safety belt. "Any more ideas?"

Rolin sighed and rubbed his brow. "We can ask the natives if they've seen her." He put the omniwrench on his belt. "She might even be in the village."

"You're something of an optimist aren't you?" Olympic smiled and put her omniwrench on her back.

Rolin shook his head. "Only in my dreams."

"Come on, dreamer." Olympic smiled and turned away. "Let's find the village." They started out and quickly came across some children playing. The children stopped and gapped at the grown lombaxes. Olympic and Rolin approached slowly, and then Olympic got down on her knees. "Hello, mini ones." She spoke warmly and smiled at the children. "We're a bit lost and we were wondering if you could help us." Olympic made Rolin sit down to not be intimidating.

Little Sog stepped forward. "Are you really lombaxes?"

Olympic lowered her head to the child. "Here, pull on my ears. A hologuise would break if you touch it."

Rolin held up his hands. "I ask you not tug on my ears or my tail, but I promise my fuzzy face is real." He pulled several faces that made the children laugh. "You think I chose to look like this? No way, I was born this way."

Sog reached up and gently pulled on Olympic's ear. He smiled and looked Olympic in the eye. "Who are you?"

Olympic extended her hand to the little Fongoid. "My name is Talia, it's nice to meet you." Sog shook her hand and told her that his name is Sog. "Greetings, Sog." Olympic turned to all the children. "We're actually here on a special mission and we could use your help." She whispered to the children. "Can we trust you?"

Meeting a chorus of nodding children Olympic turned to Rolin to give him the floor. Rolin nodded and moved closer to the children. "You see, my little sister went missing. We think she may be here, but we can't be sure." He held up his hand to about Kori's height. "She's not too big, about this size. She has big orange ears with red stripes." He pulled on his own ears and flopped them around a little. "And, like Talia," it felt weird using General Olympic's first name, "she doesn't have a tail."

Olympic nodded. "Girl lombaxes don't have tails, boys do."

Rolin grabbed his own tail and twirled it. "They don't know what they're missing."

Little Sog raised his hand and nodded. "We've seen her!"

Rolin lit up. "You have?"

The children nodded and Sog pointed toward their village. "We took her to the village and called the other Lombax. He came and got her."

Olympic and Rolin exchanged a look of worry. Other Lombax.

Olympic thanked the children and even hugged some, then she and Rolin went to the village. Hopefully, the adults could be more help on 'the other Lombax'.

They split up and spoke to the natives, who unfortunately didn't know much about the other Lombax either. But they did confirm that Kori had been there and taken away. The chief was even so kind as to loan them a ship. As they sat in the cockpit of the ship Olympic looked at Rolin. "I did not interact with children. I did not let them touch my ears. I did not tell them my name." She scolded. "Understood?"

Rolin nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Olympic got on her com to speak to Hounder. "Hounder, the mission just complicated itself. It appears she was taken by another Lombax of unknown origin."

Hounder's voice was fuzzy but understandable. "Must be an imposter. Destroy them and bring back the girl."

Olympic nodded and replied. "Understood. Olympic, out." She grabbed the steering column so tight Rolin was sure it would bust.

Rolin cleared his throat. "General, should the situation arise can we not kill the imposter? Just in case….they're a real Lombax."

Olympic softened. "I'm sorry, Rolin. But there are no more Lombaxes in Polaris." She sighed. "Whatever it was that took your sister, it isn't a Lombax."

Rolin looked away. "What if it was my father that took her? No one gave us a description of the Lombax. Maybe it was him and if he knew who she was, he would never harm her."

Olympic closed her eyes for a moment. "We can't know that for sure but if it is your father then I have an idea where he might have taken her." She took off and flew the ship to Fastoon.

Olympic knew the way to Fastoon, she could have flown it in her sleep. Rolin watched the stars as they passed, careful not to mention his father again.

As they landed on Fastoon Olympic was quick to notice there already was a ship there, a Lombax ship. Rolin was already out of the ship before Olympic could even comment anything to him.

Ratchet, Clank, and Kori all watched the ship land. Rolin rounded the ship and saw Kori, the siblings lit up. The two of them ran to each other and tackled each other in a hug.

Rolin hugged Kori tight. "I am so going to hurt you when we get home."

Kori smiled. "I can't believe your here." She pulled herself from her brother's grasp and looked at him. "How did you get here?"

Suddenly Olympic popped up and trapped Ratchet on his ship with her omniwrench. "Impersonator! You'll die for that!" Then she looked at the lombax's face and saw the young face of her brother Kaden looking back at her. Olympic gasped and dropped her wrench. "No…"

Kori held up her hands and ran to Ratchet's aid. "General stop." She climbed up onto the wing and stood in front of Ratchet. "You don't want to hurt him."

Rolin shook his head. "What are you talking about Kori?"

Kori sighed and helped Ratchet up. "This is who I told you about, Ratchet." She nodded and held his hand. "This is Talia Olympic, your aunt."

Olympic covered her mouth with her hands. She turned and walked away.

Rolin looked at the two younger lombaxes and shook his head. "I'd give her a bit." He looked between the two and made his way over to take their hands apart. "No hand holding." Kori rolled her eyes at her brother.

She sat on Ratchet's ship wing and sighed. "I'll hold hand with whom I want to."

Rolin smiled and shook his head. "Not as long as you are my little sister."

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	10. Olympic

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Ratchet, Rolin, Kori, and Clank all sat on the wing of the ship waiting for Olympic to come back. Rolin sighed and held out a hand to Ratchet. "This is Fastoon, huh?"

Ratchet nodded. "Yup, at least this is how Clank and I found it."

Rolin looked around. "Very...dry."

Kori facepalmed. She jumped off the wing and walked to the big structure in the middle of the square. Kori turned to Rolin and Ratchet. "She's been gone a long time."

Rolin shrugged. "His aunt, not mine."

Ratchet sighed. "I didn't even know I had an aunt." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know her at all."

Kori shook her head and started walking away. "I'm going to go look for her."

Rolin tossed his omniwrench to her. "Just in case." He called out as she caught it.

Ratchet jumped down and followed her. "Come on, Clank, we better help her." Clank quickly caught up and hopped onto Ratchet's back.

Rolin saluted from the ship's wing. "I'll be guarding the ship, don't get lost."

The group walked in silence for a little bit before Ratchet looked at Kori with a smile. "Is your brother always like that?"

Kori laughed and shook her head. "No, Rolin is more...laid back then Montay. But," she scrunched up her nose, "he still qualifies as an annoying brother."

Ratchet laughed a little and accidentally brushed his hand against Kori's. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "So...what's it like? Having brothers?"

Kori sighed, yet smiled. "They can be the world's biggest pain, and at points, it can be the absolute worst." She giggled and smiled at Ratchet. "But they can also be the best, like going through a dimensional wormhole to help you when you need it."

Ratchet nodded. "It sounds like they are great."

Kori snickered. "Also the worst," she bumped her shoulder into his. "That's a thing with siblings, they're a mix of both." Her eyes lifted to a point in front of them.

Ratchet followed her gaze to find off in a considerable distance was a Lombax with General Olympic's coloring. But with...a tail and torn coat.

"General!" Ratchet called out. Kori grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "What?"

Kori whispered quickly. "That's not her. Female lombaxes don't have tails!" The other lombax was suddenly on top of them, he grabbed Kori by the throat and held her high. She gasped and clawed at her throat.

"Hey!" Ratchet was able to cry before the lombax knocked him down.

Rolin came out of nowhere, slammed into the lombax and pinned him to the ground, forcing the mystery lombax to drop Kori, her gasping and gagging. "Not my…" Rolin growled before looking the mystery lombax in the face. "Uncle Kaden?"

Kori and Ratchet looked to Rolin who was letting the mystery lombax go.

Sure enough, as the mystery lombax sat up he looked just like Ratchet, only older and less groomed. He rubbed his head and glared heavily at the three young lombaxes. "Does anyone want to tell me what you all are doing here?" Kaden was scarred and one green eye had turned white. "There aren't supposed to be any lombaxes in Polaris."

Rolin cleared his throat and smiled. "You see, Uncle Kaden…"

"Quit calling me, Uncle, kid." Kaden straightened out the shoulder Rolin had slammed into. "I don't know…" He took a look at Rolin with his good eye. "Hey...Rolin Azimuth?" Kaden grinned widely. "I haven't seen you since…" The smile faded to sadness. "Squirt, what are you doing here?"

Rolin smiled. "Uncle Kaden…" He shook his head. "My little sister, Kori," Rolin pointed at Kori who was waving, "Got sucked into a wormhole and came out here."

Kaden frowned at Kori. "Your mother remarried then."

Kori shrugged and smirked. "After I was born, you know. Three kids to take care of, no husband." She looked at Kaden and rubbed the back of her neck. "You see our parents were going to announce my arrival but…"

Kaden's eyes widened. "Your Alister's daughter?" He smiled again and got closer to Kori, gently grabbing her chin and moving her face all around. "I can see your mother in you, thank goodness." Kori and Kaden smiled at each other. "Don't take this the wrong way but you look like Montay."

Kori nodded. "I got the Azimuth stripes, all the best of my siblings do." She giggled to Kaden.

Rolin sat on the ground and nodded. "I'm definitely kicking your butt when we get home."

Kaden laughed and turned to Ratchet. "I know these two, but who are you?" Ratchet looked away and rubbed the back of his neck.

Kori gently placed her hand on Kaden's arm. "Uncle Kaden," the words came naturally, "this is Ratchet." She spoke softly. "He's your son."

Kaden's face drained of all emotion, looking Ratchet over to try and prove Kori wasn't telling him the truth. The son he sent away to grow up somewhere safe...it just simply couldn't be true. Yet when he looked at Ratchet...his son...he saw himself, his sister, his father, his grandfather.

Rolin came up slowly behind Kaden and spoke slowly. "Uncle Kaden, are you okay?"

Kaden didn't hear Rolin, he moved slowly to Ratchet. "My boy…" His hands raised to the sides of Ratchet's face but didn't touch him, trembling. "Are you really...my…"

Ratchet looked up at Kaden and smiled. "Hi, Dad."

Kaden laughed and hugged Ratchet. "Look at you." He let him go, held him at arm's' length, and looked him over. "You the family look kid." He hugged Ratchet again. "Your mother would be so happy to see you."

Kori and Rolin smiled at each other before Rolin looked up behind Kori. "General." He said in acknowledgment. Kori turned around and saw General Olympics behind her.

"Kaden…" General Olympic said, out of breath and her eyes on her brother.

Kaden looked up and let go of Ratchet. He saw his sister and smiled. "Talia!"

General Olympic frowned and gripped her omniwrench, heat building within the closest end. "Kaden."

Kaden glanced at his sister's omniwrench and back at her. He spoke slowly and stood up. "Talia…"

General Olympic raised her omniwrench and charged her brother. "KADEN!" She brought her omniwrench down on her brother, who blocked it with his own. She kicked him in the gut and knocked him down. Rolin and Kori grabbed Ratchet and bailed.

Kaden smiled though he was being attacked by his older sister. "Hey, Talia, nice to see you." The blaster end of her omniwrench in his face. "You look nice."

Talia growled as tears ran down her face. "Is that all you have to say to me?" She charged up her blaster. "After all this time? That's all?"

Kaden held up his hands. "I'm sorry, Talia, really."

Talia lifted her omniwrench up and came down inches from her brothers face. "I can't believe you." She threw her omniwrench away and grabbed the front of her brother's shirt. "You took everything from me. You took him from me." Talia pointed at Ratchet. "All these years I thought you were dead. I had to go through your memorial year after year and everyone told me that you were dead, you had to be. Your son just had to be dead." Talia threw her brother down on the ground. "Kaden, I love you but you infuriate me so much."

Rolin and Kori nodded at each other. Sounds about right.

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	11. Home

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Kaden took the younger lombaxes to his hideout. It was small but oddly cozy, machinery scattered everywhere and everything in a general organized chaos. Talia decided not to join their crew as she was very angry with her brother for what he did. She told them she would join them later after the urge to kill her brother went away.

"I know it's not much," Kaden said, clearing some spaces to host his guests. "But it's home." He sat down and faced the three younger lombaxes, smiling. "I never thought I'd see another lombax again, let alone my son, my sister, and Alister's kids."

Rolin nodded and smiled at his uncle. "I never thought I was going to meet you," his smile turned sad. "Everyone thinks you're dead."

Kaden sighed and rested his hand on his knees. "That might be for the best, actually. They're safer there."

Kori looked at Ratchet for a moment and then to Kaden. "Well...what if the lombaxes came back?" The other three looked at her with looks that made her question opening her big mouth. "The Cragmites are gone, aren't they? The lombaxes would be safe from them and we'd be able to come back to our ancestral roots and rebuild."

Ratchet looked back at his father. "Right, that's what Alister fought for. To bring the lombaxes back to their full glory and not hiding in a pocket dimension." He spoke firmly. "Tachyon is gone, the lombaxes are safe now."

Kaden shook his head. "The lombaxes will never be truly safe, even with the Cragmites gone." He placed his hand on Ratchet's shoulder. "That's why I sent you to the Solana Galaxy, to protect you."

Ratchet lowered his head and Rolin spoke up. "Why didn't you send him with us to the Lombax Dimension? He could have grown up knowing his people and, in a way, you."

Kaden sighed sadly. "You have no idea how many times I questioned my past decisions." He leaned back in his seat and couldn't look at the youths in front of him. "I knew I needed someone to protect the lombaxes from this dimension, and in my mind, that was my son." Kaden closed his eyes and rubbed his brow. "But Tachyon was closing in and there was an escape pod. I set it to the Solana Galaxy, not thinking about the life I set up for my son but thinking about saving my son's life.

"I really should have known how hurt Talia would be." Kaden nodded and looked at Ratchet, who looked back at him with sadness. "She never wanted kids herself but she loved being your aunt." He took a deep breath and looked away. "Talia was the one taking care of you when Tachyon attacked, she led everyone to the Court while carrying you. I went to save your mother but…" he dropped his head and closed his eyes.

Kori moved closer to Kaden. "A lot was lost that day. We have a memorial every year on the anniversary of Tachyon's assault."

The room was quiet for a little while before Rolin sighed and placed his hand on Kori's knee. "I think it's time we went home." Kaden nodded silently.

Kori looked at her brother and frowned. "But, Rolin, we are home."

Rolin shook his head. "We don't belong here anymore, we belong with the rest of our family."

Kori looked at Ratchet and Kaden. "But…" Her heart leaped to her throat.

"We can't stay, Kori," Rolin grasped her shoulders. "I promised Mom I would bring you back, she'd be lost without you." He took a deep breath and pulled her closer to him. "You're one of the last things she has to remember Dad by. You can't just take that away from her."

His sister's eyes welled up with tears, she took her arm and forced Rolin's hands off her. Kori stood up, looked at the others before she turned and left, pulling the formally sliding doors hard behind her. Rolin and Kaden sighed and lowered their heads.

Ratchet looked back and forth between his elders before following Kori out. Kori had torn the doors a little off their tracks, putting them back on Ratchet was able to get out. He found Kori in the Court, curled up in a ball in the center of the floor. "Hey," He said quietly. "Mind if I sit here?"

The slightest nod from Kori gave Ratchet permission and he sat down next to her. Clank dropping off Ratchet's back and sitting on Kori's other side. She smiled a small smile through her tears, seeing both Ratchet and Clank. Kori sniffled and grasped both her friends' hands. "I don't want to go…"

Ratchet squeezed her hand. "Then don't."

Kori leaned on Ratchet and shook her head. "But my mom…"

Clank moved more in front of Kori. "Your mother loves you, I'm sure she would understand." Ratchet nodded and rested his head on Kori's. "I'm sure your mother wants you to be happy."

Kori smiled and rubbed her right eye's tear away. "This is why you're the smart one, Clank."

Clank laughed and smiled. "It is just some wisdom I had said to me once."

Ratchet rubbed away Kori's tears. "And he'll dish it out when it's needed." Kori smiled at the two and hugged them tightly.

"Time for final goodbyes," came the voice behind them. They turned around to see to General Olympic, Rolin, and Kaden. General Olympic got on her com and spoke firmly. "Hounder, we are ready for pickup. The girl is in hand and threat is neutralized."

Hounder's voice came through. "Copy. Locking onto your position, the portal should be appearing shortly."

Rolin picked Kori up off the ground. "We're going home now, Kori." He tried to dust her off but she hit him. "Say goodbye."

Kori stepped back toward Ratchet, Kaden, and Clank. "I'm staying."

"Don't be stupid, Kori." Rolin grabbed her hands and pulled her toward himself and General Olympic. "You're coming home."

Kori fought against her brother. "That place was never my home." She stomped on her brother's foot and pulled against him it felt like his arms were coming out of their sockets. "Let me go, Rolin!"

Ratchet and Clank stood and tried to help Kori. "She wants to stay here." Ratchet tried to pull Kori's hands from Rolin's grip.

Clank helped Kori stomp on Rolin's feet. "It is her choice to stay or go!"

Kaden held out a hand, frowning deeply. "Son…"

General Olympic looked at her brother and frowned. She was still upset with him. Olympic went to the group and separate them. "Enough of this." She ordered. "Kori, you are coming back to the Lombax Dimension, that is not up for debate. Kaden and Ratchet," she turned to her brother and nephew. "It was nice to see you. Goodbye." She turned and walked away.

Ratchet watched her. "Goodbye, that's all?" He frowned and almost followed after her. "You're not even going to offer to take either of us to the Lombax Dimension?"

Olympic couldn't look at Ratchet. "I believe it best that you are continued to be believed as dead." She remained firm and stern. "Years ago I believed what was left of my family to have been lost to me. Now that it is my choice, I wish to continue as normally as I can."

Kaden took a step toward his sister. "Talia, I'm sorry."

Olympic growled and glared piercing daggers at her brother. "I have no reason to forgive you for what you've done, Kaden." She jabbed her finger at him, standing firm. "You broke my heart long ago. My own brother." Olympic's hands turned to fists. "You left me alone to repair a broken people, you took away the two loves of my life."

Kaden tried to go up to his sister but he stopped short when she held up her hand at him. "I know that what I did was wrong. I hurt you and I'm sorry." He pleaded with her. "Talia, please don't let this be the end."

Olympic turned away and looked down. "The Talia you knew back then died, Kaden." She turned her back on her brother. "Her still-beating heart ripped out the day you left her." Without another look at her brother or her nephew, Olympic walked away to wait for the portal.

Rolin took a page from General Olympic's book and grabbed Kori's arm firmly. The room was deathly quiet as the portal opened up before them. Olympic walked in without looking back, Rolin dragged Kori but before she was pulled in she ripped her arm from her brother's grasp.

"Kori!" Rolin grasped wildly for her.

Kori pushed her brother into the portal and backed away as quickly as she could. "I'm sorry." She breathed. "Tell Mom I love her." The portal closed up behind Rolin and everything stood still.

Ratchet slowly came up behind Kori and touched her shoulder. Kori smiled at him wildly and tackled him in a hug. Ratchet looked at Kaden and Clank, who smiled at him and gently hugged Kori back.

Kaden nodded and clapped his hands together. "Now...how about we rebuild?" He grinned at Kori and Ratchet.

Clank smiled too. "With three lombaxes and my help, it should be easy."

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	12. Bleeding Hearts

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Everyone watched in anticipation as General Olympic and Rolin came back, fully anticipating that their number would have grown by one but...the portal closed behind them, just the two of them.

Hounder eyebrow raised and watched Olympic walk past him. "Where is she? The girl?"

Rolin couldn't look at anyone. "We lost her."

Hounder scoffed and crossed his arms. "Lost her. She can still be recovered even if she is dead."

Olympic stopped before leaving out the door. "She chose to stay there. And she got what she wanted." Then she walked through the door and let that be her final words on the subject.

Hounder nodded. "I see." He went up to Rolin and spoke somberly. "Son, you failed." He lowered his voice. "I believe it best you notify your family of your loss."

Rolin looked at the General for a moment before leaving as well. He walked the hallways, head down so much that the security officers took pity on him and didn't ask for clearance to leave. Eventually, he got to Astrid's door and didn't even stop to acknowledge his brother or Astrid, who was now off duty.

Astrid followed him. "Rolin, what's wrong?"

Montay strode right up to him and grabbed his shirt. "Where's Kori?" He stopped his brother and pulled him off his feet. "Rolin, where's Kori?"

Rolin looked up at the ceiling and away from his brother. "Don't make me say it, Montay."

Montay froze for a moment before growling and throwing his brother against the wall. "Why did I think I could trust you? Why couldn't you do something right, for once?"

Astrid ran to Rolin and stood between the two brothers. "Montay, stop." She was a full two feet shorter than either Azimuth son but Astrid looked into Montay's face with no fear. "He tried and that's the best we could ask of him."

Montay snorted. "The best we could ask of him?" He stalked past them and stomped back to his lab. "He lost our only sister. He failed when it mattered most, like usual."

Astrid glared at Montay for a moment before turning to Rolin. "It's okay, Ro." She said sweetly and checked him for injuries. "Maybe it's better this way."

Rolin shook his head and looked at Astrid. "It couldn't be worse, Astrid." He sighed. "I'm nothing but a failure."

Astrid kissed his cheek and petted his head. "You're not a failure. Not to me." She pulled him up. "Come on, I'll take you home." Astrid took Rolin to her ship and put him into it, taking him home and bringing him inside.

Becca was in the kitchen when Astrid and Rolin walked in. Her face a mix of emotion, noticing the loss of her daughter but before she could speak Astrid stopped her and put Rolin to bed. Becca spoke calmly to Astrid as she left Rolin's room. "Hello, Astrid," she leaned against the opposing wall. "It's been a while."

Astrid put on a smile and spoke respectfully. "I know, ma'am. I should come around more often."

Becca frowned and crossed her arms. "Astrid, tell me what's wrong."

Astrid nodded and felt like a child in trouble. "Yes, ma'am." Astrid and Becca made some hot drinks and Astrid told Becca all she knew. Which wasn't much.

Becca sighed and warmed her hands on her glass. "So...my daughter is gone."

Used to giving bad news, Astrid faced another kind. "I'm sorry."

Becca nodded and looked to all the family photos lining her walls. Now Kori stood out in each one she was in, hurting her mother's heart. "How I'm going to miss her, like her father before her."

Astrid placed her hand on Becca's and tried her best to be loving and supportive until she had to leave for the day. Becca went into Rolin's room after dinner. She rubbed her youngest son's head as he stayed in bed, preferring the dark.

Rolin rubbed his nose on his pillow and couldn't look his mother in the eye. "Kori says she loves you." Passing on Kori's final message to her mother.

Becca kissed her son's head, thanked him for telling her, and left him alone.

Montay didn't come home from work until very late from that day on and Rolin didn't come out of his room until Astrid forced him over a week later. Spade and Becca got to eat every meal for a while accidentally setting out a place for Kori. Becca missed calling for her daughter in the morning, and it took too long to remember to not make her daughter's breakfast.

The word spread that Kori was lost during an accident at the research facility. An unfortunate casualty in the pursuit of knowledge. Olympic even was in attendance at Kori's memorial.

It took a few years for Montay to speak to Rolin again and never did Montay ask for forgiveness or forgive Rolin. Rolin became, more or less, an invalid. Astrid eventually moved in to take care of him. Becca was happy to have another female in the house with her after all the time of it being just her.

Back in Polaris Kori did miss her parents, brothers, friends and the others she knew in the Lombax Dimension. Ratchet and Kaden tried to keep her mind off of it as she had to rebuild and modernize Fastoon's communication grid.

There was once, quite a while after Kori chose to stay, that Kori stopped what she was working on and sat and stared at it. Ratchet noticed and asked her if she was okay. She glanced at him, nodded and put her head in her hands.

Ratchet looked at his father, working away on something else, and then he scooted closer to Kori. "If you need to stop for today, it's okay." Ratchet spoke calmly. "I'll finish it."

Kori sighed and laid her head on the table. "It's not that…" she frowned. "I'm just thinking about them."

Them, Ratchet knew. Her family. Kori thought about them a lot, no matter how hard Kaden and he tried to distract her. Ratchet took her hand and smiled a little at her. "I know you miss them, maybe one day you'll see them again."

Kori smiled weakly and lifted her head again, moving closer to Ratchet to feel his warmth on her skin.

"No kissing over there," Kaden said, his back turned to them.

Ratchet and Kori separated quickly, blushing wildly. Clank laughed at them. Ratchet scooted away from Kori and pointed a frown at his father. "We weren't doing anything!"

"You two got quiet," Kaden smirked. "I remember those days."

Ratchet ducked his face down and continued working on his piece faster. Kori and Clank smiled at each other before Kori went back to work.

Kaden turned around to see the two youngsters working, and remembered back to when himself and Ratchet's mother were his son's age. Penelope would have really like Kori and that made Kaden smile. He remembered when he first met Penelope, it was love at first punch. Not many guys liked girls with right hooks that Penelope had but Kaden knew that she was the girl for him. If only she hadn't still been recovering from Ratchet's birth when…

Kaden tried not to go through ifs, they could drive someone insane. That reminded him. He made his excuses and went off to try to find a pair of hover boots, he had lost his pair somewhere forever ago. Not to ride, he quit doing that years ago when he almost broke his neck with the damn things.

Only to find that Ratchet had his hoverboots so of the two pairs he found one would have to be put back. Kaden stopped work for the day so Kori could learn how to use her new hoverboots.

"How did you ever feel safe on these?" She asked, holding onto Ratchet's hands as he pulled her around on them.

Kaden shrugged, "Practice."

Kori scoffed but was thankful for Ratchet. "Your dad is crazy," she whispered to him.

Ratchet laughed and whispered back. "Your dad taught me how to use mine." He smirked.

Kori gently pulled her hands from Ratchet's, trying not to fall over and embarrass herself. Kaden had her run the obstacle course several times before she felt good on her hoverboots. The last time she took the course too quickly, nearly running over Ratchet.

He caught her hand and just let them spin out her momentum. It was as if they were the only ones who existed and that over on the side they were not being watched by Kaden and Clank. Kori grasped Ratchet's other hand as they started to spin slower, making small orbits around each other.

Kori's bright blue eyes were the only thing Ratchet could look at and not get dizzy, as Kori gazed into his clear green eyes. It felt like they had been spinning forever and at the same time as if they had only just started.

The few years they had been working together on Fastoon's restoration, their time building and getting to know each other. The nights they would stay up talking and falling asleep together only to get scolded by Kaden the next morning. Ratchet gently took his hand from Kori's and placed it on her cheek, he closed his eyes and gently put his lips on hers. Kori's eyes fluttered closed, her spare hand going to rest on Ratchet's chest, and time stood still, the pair still spinning.

Kaden and Clank grinned at each other and Kaden handed Clank 60 bolts.

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	13. Blossoms and Blooms

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"Son, I have to ask you what your intentions with Kori are," Kaden said behind a desk he found.

Ratchet sat opposite his father. "You're my dad, why are you asking me?" He said, exasperated. While Kori sat next to Kaden, giggling in the background as quietly as she could.

Kaden had on his most serious face. "As her father's greatest friend, in his absence, I am her acting father."

"So you want me to date my acting sister?"

"I want to know what your intentions are with your acting sister, you sicko."

Kori couldn't take it anymore, she burst out laughing. "I'll be outside, Clank and I are planning out the main grid." She lightly kissed Ratchet on her way past, waving to Kaden on her way out.

Kaden waved back and Ratchet smiled like his brain was mush. Kaden snickered and Ratchet popped back to attention. "Are we done? Were you just trying to embarrass me?"

Kaden acted like he was thinking for a second before standing up. "Pretty much."

Ratchet groaned and followed Kaden out the door. "Dad it's not like we-"

"What you two do is your business, but just be careful." Kaden pointed at his son. "We don't need any baby lombaxes at the moment."

"Dad!" Ratchet nearly pulled out his own fur.

Kaden held up his hands. "I remember when I was your age. Hormones and all that."

Ratchet groaned. "You're the last person I want to hear this from." He closed his eyes. "Now I can see it, I'm scarred for life."

Kori's voice came from the other room. "I thought we got rid of all of Quark's posters so you could quit being scarred."

Ratchet was about to reply but Kaden stopped him. "Come on," Kaden said. "Time to get to work. Soon we might be able to receive calls."

It was a long day at work but a good one. Kaden needed help out of his chair, he was so stiff (and because he's old). Kori and Ratchet helped the old man home but sat on the roof to watch the sunset.

Kori sighed and gently grasped Ratchet's hand, gently drawing little pictures on his glove with her other hand. "I like you," she whispered.

Ratchet smiled and leaned into Kori, rubbing his shoulder against hers. "I like you too." He whispered back before kissing her sweetly.

Kori smiled through the gentle kiss before she gently pulled away. "I've been thinking about the future a lot lately." She said softly to him.

"Yeah?"

"I mean, what will happen when we do restore Fastoon?" She gently touched Ratchet's cheek to get an unknown black substance off it. "What's in store for us? What will we do with our lives?"

Ratchet nodded and pulled his hand from her grasp to put it around her, holding Kori close to him. "Big questions, I get it." He kissed her cheek. "I think all of those depend on us."

Kori put her hand on Ratchet's cheek and cuddled up to him. "I also think we should go to bed, so your dad can't yell at us tomorrow."

Ratchet rubbed her shoulder. "This is why you're the smart one." He let Kori go and pulled her up to her feet. "Ladies first." Ratchet held Kori's hand to make sure she didn't slip down and hurt herself.

They snuck in, they could tell Kaden was asleep because Kaden's snoring was as loud as Tachyon's shrill screaming. Kori pulled Ratchet into her room, just to tick off Kaden in the morning. They went to bed fully clothed and woke up fully clothed.

Years passed, progress was made on the restoration of Fastoon, sadly Quark was found and made to stay with the Fongoids and Ratchet eventually asked Kori to marry him.

Fongoid wedding gear was quite breezy if you ask Ratchet. Kaden didn't want to botch a Lombax wedding so they settled for a Fongoid wedding. The weather in Gimlik Valley was beautiful, no one fell into the water, the ceremony was lovely and Kori (and Kaden and Clank) was laughing the whole time because Ratchet had an uncomfortable breeze up his alley the entire ceremony.

So sometime later Kori was forbidden from any dangerous jobs by Kaden and Ratchet. She took this news as well as one expects, she lounged onto Ratchet while he was working. Kori sighed and rested her chin on his head. "Oh, what is a girl to do without her power tools."

Ratchet smiled and shook his head. "Well, it's not my fault your pregnant."

Kori ran her fingers down Ratchet's ears. "I'm pretty sure you get half credit." She distracted him by gently running her fingers through his fur. "At least 55 percent is your fault."

"75 percent minimum," Kaden offered.

Clank held up a hand. "I'd say 80 percent because he-"

"Thank you, Clank!" Ratchet yelled over his best friend, Clank laughed. He shook his head and helped Kori sit down in her chair.

Kori put her hands underneath her grown stomach. It couldn't be much longer until the baby came and they all were getting more or less impatient. Kori especially because then she could continue her work on Fastoon's digital highway.

They were having a nice afternoon until Kori's communication hub started setting off all kinds of alarms. She was about to check it out herself when Kaden jumped up and made it over there before she could ever. Kaden cursed and looked at Kori. "The communication lines are sustaining damage, it's not the normal level from the scroungers. This is something bigger."

Kori frowned and started getting up. "Those communication lines took me years." She winced, sending Ratchet into a flurry, who made her sit back down. "I'm fine but whatever is destroying those lines needs to be stopped."

Ratchet and Kaden shared a look of determination. Ratchet gently laid his hand on Kori's stomach and his son/daughter. "Kaden and I will take care of them." He smiled and kissed Kori. "You stay here, and try to stay of out trouble."

Kori scrunched up her nose. "I make no such promises." She smiled and implored the boys to hurry to the site and save as many lines as they could.

Kaden, Ratchet, and Clank rushed out to where the damage was being sustained, to find a lombax, equipped with an electro-powered omniwrench. This lombax threw electric bolts at all the lines he could see.

Ratchet grabbed his wrench and held it up, "Hey!" He yelled to get the lombaxes attention.

The lombax turned around orange with red stripes. Yellow eyes. Kaden and Ratchet stopped in their tracks. "Alister?" Kaden breathed.

The lombax growled and fired at them too. "Never call me that." In his anger, his aim was off, "I am not Alister." He charged Ratchet and grabbed him around the neck. "Where is Kori!?" He shook Ratchet and squeezed his neck. "I know you have her!"

Kaden held up his hands. "Hold on. Kori Azimuth?"

The lombax dropped Ratchet and fired at Kaden, who luckily avoided it. "I knew it! Where is she?"

Kaden eased himself over to check on Ratchet. Kaden kept calm. "She's safe, we promise. We wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

"Lies!" Not Alister cried and fired at Kaden again. "You took her away! Away from her family."

Kaden took a shot in the dark. "Montay, stop!"

Montay finally lowered his weapon, shocked this stranger knew his name. "Who are you?"

Kaden sighed and slowly approached Montay to take the weapon away. "I met you when you were born, your father and I were great friends. I know your brother Rolin and your little sister, Kori. Your mother, Becca, would also not allow you to break your little sister's things."

Montay stepped back. "Answer the question, old man. Who are you?"

Kaden shrugged and said to himself, screw it. "I'm your Uncle Kaden, that's Ratchet my son and your brother-in-law." He nodded. "Now, quit breaking your sister's communication lines. She's grumpy enough as it is."

Ratchet recovered and rubbed his throat. "Especially when she finds out you tried to kill me, she tends to not like those people."

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	14. Determination

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Montay took a breath and looked at the two lombaxes before him. They did look familiar, but memories from another world. Another time that he wanted to much to forget. The days before he lost his father and his home. "Uncle Kaden." He breathed. "I thought you were dead."

Kaden nodded. "Yeah, so I've been told."

Montay raised an eyebrow at Ratchet. "And...you're the baby?" He scoffed. "What kind of name is Ratchet anyway?"

Ratchet rolled his eyes. "Boy, I haven't heard that before." He waved his hands. "Wait, how did you get here?"

Montay nodded and took something off his belt. A small little orb with blue lights. "I made a little something that allows interdimensional travel. It took a little while to get the calibration right but it was worth the wait."

Kaden came up to him, gently took the orb and looked at this invention closely with his good eye. "And you developed this by yourself?" It wasn't much to look at but it hummed with life.

Montay shrugged. "I got some schematics from the Dimensionator and the failed mini versions. The real challenge was making it small with all the technology still intact." He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Had several favors to call in to get what I needed."

Kaden nodded and gave the device back. "Just don't let it fall into the wrong hands."

Montay smiled. "Yes, sir." He put his wrench away. "So, can I see Kori now? I've come a long way."

Ratchet nodded. "As long as you fix her communication lines because you broke them."

Montay agreed because he said communication was super easy, and they took him back to their workshop where Kori was supposed to be waiting for them. But instead of Kori, there was simply a note that said she started to not feel well so she went to lay down at their house.

Ratchet ran ahead to check on her, finding her in their bed sleeping. He smiled, kissed her temple and left quietly.

Kaden and Montay were waiting outside the room. Kaden tried to peek in the door before Ratchet closed it completely, "She alright?"

Ratchet nodded. "She's sleeping." He looked at Montay. "Sorry you came all this way, I hoped you don't mind waiting until she wakes up."

Montay grinned. "I am very willing to wait for her." He reached for the door. "But, may I?" Ratchet got out of his way and Montay opened the door to look at his baby sister. The warm feeling in Montay's chest when he saw his sister's sleeping form, a thing he never thought he would see again. He moved into the doorway to see her rounding stomach in front of her. "Is… Is she...pregnant?" Montay whispered to the others.

Ratchet and Kaden smiled. Ratchet nodded and pulled Montay out of the room, "Any day," he closed the door gently. "We wanted to be surprised so we don't know what it is either."

Montay grinned and lightly hit Ratchet on the shoulder. "If I had known I would have brought a gift." He looked at the door of the room his sister was in again. "All Rolin said was that Kori was lost, I didn't expect to…"

Kaden grasped Montay's shoulder and smiled. "We've been taking good care of her, but she's better at taking care of us." He nodded toward Ratchet. "You should hear about the time Ratchet got a high-grade fever and was near delusional for two days."

Ratchet shook his head. "It wasn't that funny." The communicator in their living room area went off, Ratchet left Montay and Kaden to talk in the kitchen. And onto the screen came Quark followed by screaming Fongoid. "What is it, Quark?"

Quark smiled a weak smile. "I know you told me to not call you but we have a problem." He wrung his hands and laughed. "You know those space pirates I was captain for a while? Well…"

Ratchet facepalmed. Clank shook his head, "What did you do to them?"

Quark ducked enemy fire and screamed, ducking down quickly. "Just a little...outsourcing." He peeked his head over the desk. "Come help me, Ratchet!" The communication link shut off.

Ratchet sighed but Clank told him they had to help him. The boys relayed this information to Kaden and Montay, they decided that Montay would be better than One-Eyed Lombax. Ratchet entered his and Kori's room quietly. "Hey," Ratchet sat on the bed next to her, gently rubbing her arm to walk her up. "Sorry to wake you up but I gotta go."

Kori rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Go where?" She propped herself up and yawned.

"Save Quark's sorry hide." Ratchet smiled.

Kori smiled. "For a guy who has 'saved' the galaxy," she added air quotes, "He sure needs saving more often than not."

Ratchet laughed at that but he turned serious when Kori winced. "Are you okay? If you're not okay, I won't go."

She smiled and brought his face down to kiss her. "Go save that sorry excuse for a hero." Kori smoothed out Ratchet's fur. "Baby and I will stay here, waiting for your triumphant return."

Ratchet kissed Kori again. "I love you," he whispered against her lips.

Kori kissed him and whispered back, "I love you too." She rubbed her nose against his. "Now, get out of here and be my hero."

Ratchet smiled, kissed Kori and her stomach one last time before saying goodbye. Ratchet met up with Montay in the hallway, they wished good luck to Kaden before taking off to Fongoid planet.

Kaden, in turn, entered Ratchet and Kori's room where his patient was reading several articles on bioluminescence. She looked up at him and smiled. "You're my nurse today?"

Kaden pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. "More like entertainment." He nodded toward her. "Baby been behaving?"

Kori smiled, put down her articles, and rubbed her stomach. "As good as a grandchild of yours can." She and Kaden shared a laugh until Kori winced again.

Kaden rose his eyebrow at his daughter-in-law. "How long have these little twinges been happening?"

Kori thought for a moment before answering. "Since last night at least, Ratchet made me leave the workshop early because he thought my chair was hurting my back." She suddenly froze, pain etched on her face.

Kaden watched her as the pain passed. "That hurt more didn't it?"

Kori nodded, taking deep breaths to recover from the pain.

Kaden nodded to himself and told Kori that he would be right back. He got her a heating pad for her back, her a cool drink and a pillow for himself. He had a feeling the worst was yet to come.

He got back and delivered his gifts to his patient. Kori laid down for a second before she groaned and slowly sat back up. "Ugh," she complained, "I have to go to the bathroom again."

Kaden tried not to laugh but he helped Kori up to stand only to have her freeze and mutter to herself. "What's wrong?" Kaden asked.

Kori looked up at him before almost doubling over and leaning on his chest in pain. "Ow…" she whimpered.

Kaden helped her back up after the pain passed. "Don't tell me."

Kori smiled weakly. "My water broke," she laughed a little. "The one time Ratchet leaves and that's when the baby comes." Kaden sighed and helped Kori to their restroom, then he prepared himself for battle. Hot water, ice, blankets (large and small), scissors, towels and made sure Kori's heat pad was at optimum temperature. When Kori was finished in the restroom he helped her back to bed.

Kori laid in bed and forced herself to fall asleep. Kaden took this opportunity to try to call Ratchet. No answer. Tried again, still no answer. Left a message with Clank.

"Ratchet," he spoke into the communicator, "I'm leaving you this message to tell you to get back as soon as possible. Kori is in active labor and she needs you."

Kori's pained voice carried from the other room. "Uncle Kaden, please come back."

Kaden glanced over his shoulder before looking back at the communicator. "See you when you get here." And he hung up.

Kaden was able to get a single breath in before Kori's piercing scream made him run across their home to get to her. She was crying and squeezing the life out of Ratchet's pillow.

He knelt down to her and rubbed her back. "I'm here, Kori," Kaden remembered Penelope, Ratchet's mother, she didn't scream but she kept a firm hold on the front of his shirt. "I know it hurts, but you'll get through it." He smiled at her. "And you'll have a beautiful baby afterward."

Kori panted and squeezed the pillow tighter. "Is...Ratchet...coming?" Her eyes were closed tight.

Kaden nodded and rubbed her shoulders. "I left him a message, he'll rush back as soon as he sees it."

Kori nodded weakly before shoving her face into Ratchet's pillow to scream, as not to break Kaden's eardrums.

Sometime later on Breegus System

Montay and Ratchet were cleaning up parts of pirates so they didn't ruin the delicate ecosystem. Clank hopped of Ratchet's back and pulled his communicator out. "Ratchet, it seems we missed a message from your father."

Kaden's face came up on the communicator. "Ratchet," he spoke into the communicator, "I'm leaving you this message to tell you to get back as soon as possible. Kori is in active labor and she needs you."

Kori's pained voice came from the other side of the house. "Uncle Kaden, please come back."

Kaden glanced over his shoulder before looking back at the communicator. "See you when you get here." And he hung up.

Clank put the communicator back and looked at Ratchet, who seemed frozen in time. "Ratchet?" He asked, concerned.

Ratchet's breathing quickened, his eyes burned with anger. "I knew I shouldn't have left her." He grabbed Clank, who quickly attached to Ratchet's back. Montay jumped into the ship and had it burning out of Breegus System's atmosphere before Ratchet even had a chance to say anything to him.

When they got back to Fastoon Ratchet was out of the ship before it fully landed. He ran into their house and ran to Kori's side. She was happy to see him again.

"Kori, I'm so sorry," Ratchet panted and rested his head against hers. "I knew I shouldn't have left you."

Kori smiled through her pain. "I'm just glad you didn't miss it." She had him sit behind her to prop her up. Ratchet grabbed her hands and didn't complain when it felt like she was going to break his fingers.

Kaden, one of the few lombaxes on Fastoon knew what to do (limited knowledge until he found a text written about the subject), was more focused on Kori 's delivery than to carry on a conversation. Not to mention he could give his son and daughter-in-law at least some privacy, that could be managed.

And after what felt like a near century of labor (in actually about 32 hours, including non-active labor) Kori and Ratchet were handed a healthy baby girl. Her cries were strong, just like her grip.

Kori kissed Ratchet and held the baby girl close to her heart, but the baby had already stolen it. "She's so beautiful, Ratchet." The little baby had Ratchet's coat color and lavender eyes. It would take a good month for her colors to truly come in but her parents didn't care. She was the most beautiful baby there could ever be on Fastoon. Not to mention she was the only one.

Ratchet smiled and kissed Kori sweetly. "I love you." He held his two girls close to him.

Kori touched her forehead to his. "I love you too."

Clean up was done and visitors were allowed, Clank grinned as the little baby grabbed his finger and tried to put it in her mouth. To not electrocute the newborn, Clank replaced his finger with a toy wrench Ratchet had made for her. "By the way, Kori," Clank mentioned. "There is someone to see you."

The room door opened and in walked a sheepish Montay, smiling at his sister. "Hey."

Kori lit up and tears came to her eyes. "...Montay."

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 **Thank you so much for reading! I know it was a long chapter but look at you!**

 **Sadly one last chapter until our story is over. This story was such a blast to write but I do hope you enjoyed it. Maybe even a little bit.**

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 **Parting is such sweet sorrow, see you for the last time next chapter. See you then!**


	15. Epilogue, Her Legacy

**I do hope you enjoyed the story. It was more fun to write than I thought it was going to be. Please do follow/fav and leave a review. Noncanon characters are mine.**

 **Please enjoy the last installment of Another Story.**

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Montay sat down with Kori and her infant daughter. He caught her up on what had been happening back in the Lombax Dimension, all the good and all the bad. Then he made his confession. "Kori," Montay kept his eyes low. "I came here to take you home but I realized that I had no idea how I would find you." He sighed and looked away. "I never imagined that you would take on the reconstruction of an entire planet, and be married and expecting a baby."

Kori smiled and placed her free hand on her brother's. "I know, I didn't think so either."

Montay laughed. "Who would have thought that losing you through a wormhole would be the best thing to happen to you?"

Kori rubbed her brother's arm gently and looked down at her sleeping baby. "Montay, I know you're going back home." She smiled and fixed a patch of her daughter's fur that was sticking up. "I would like nothing more if you could pass on a message for me."

Montay nodded and looked at his sister. "Of course."

Kori took a deep breath and rocked her baby. "I want Mom to know I didn't leave her because I didn't love her or feel unloved by her. I left because of something I found here. A place that called out to me, the place I would have been born, and the home of my ancestors.

"I found friendship I would have never had because the people weren't there. I would have never met Ratchet, Clank, Sigmund, or the delightful Fongoid of Morklon. I would have never fallen in love with Ratchet, my greatest companion, and love of my life.

"And the newest love of my life wouldn't have ever existed, also for the fact that my daughter is the first Lombax to be born on Fastoon in decades. A feat held by a newborn, the rebirth of Lombaxes in Polaris. The rebirth of an era of traditions, intelligence, and things we could never truly imagine. I'm working to making her future the brightest I can.

"I may never see my mother again but that doesn't mean I don't miss her. I miss her every day, I missed her at my wedding, and I missed her when we found out I was expecting our greatest achievement. I longed for her advice like any daughter would facing an unknown her mother has overcome, and I contemplated my choice to stay more than I was willing to admit to my husband.

"I love my family back home, but this is my home now. I have a life here I could never have had with them, and I recognize that every time I think of them. I love them and I am sorry I didn't think of them when I made my choice, but as I hold my daughter in my arms I tell myself that she should not have the same misery I had. I never knew my father, and I never want her to not know her family is. A family can be the greatest thing to have, and they are her family too."

Montay went back as promised, carrying more than he had come with. He relayed Kori's message to their mother and gave her the stills Kori had sent with him. Kori, Ratchet, and Clank working together on a pipe, covered in grease; Kori working on her communication lines; Kori and Ratchet dancing at their wedding (specifically the angle that didn't show off Ratchet's...tail); Kori while she was pregnant; and a nice family photo of Ratchet, Kori, Clank, and the little baby.

Montay continued his delivery run by giving Commander in Chief Olympic an unmarked letter. Inside Kaden told his sister how stupid he had been and how he should have apologized. He knew she was hurt but Kaden didn't want to lose the only sister he had because of a stupid mistake he made when he thought he was immortal. He was wrong, he knew that. He wanted his sister back after he had lost her. Siblings were supposed to be more than friends, more than just enemies.

Siblings are pains but also who help you grow and learn lessons that can't be taught by anyone else. He hoped that one day his sister could forgive him and that one day his granddaughter could know the joy and anguish of being the sibling that cares for her sibling, as Talia had cared for her brother.

Kaden had included a few stills in his letter. One of his beloved granddaughter, still not having her stripes but having her hetero-chromic blue and green eyes. Her left eye is blue like her mother's and her right eye being green like her father's, (and her grandfather's, great aunt's, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather's). And a couple of other little family pictures, one even included the Fongoid of Morklon.

Talia smiled for a moment before placing the pictures on her desk. Many over the years asked about them but she said they were too special to her, and when she had a hard day she remembered her brother and smiled.

Becca hung up the stills on her wall, the place of honor belonging once to the last family photo they had with Kori. It now belonged to Ratchet, Kori, and a smiling baby Claire. The first thing in a long time to bring a smile to Rolin's face, knowing he didn't fail to bring his sister home. He allowed her to make a home for her own.

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 **Thank you so much for reading! You can't believe how much I'm going to miss this story.**

 **Stay tuned for The Lombax Rebirth, starring our darling girl Claire. I'm going to work on her grown-up design before I start writing her story. I can't wait to get started.**

 **I hope you enjoyed the story, thanks so much for reading. Goodbye.**


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